After Inheritance
by drgnrider09
Summary: Eragon has set up his new rider training facility in Mt. Shur'Tugal, an inactive volcano that has aquired a new purpose. Read as Eragon goes through the struggles of being the eldest rider. Possibly containing a few lemons and definitely a lot of action in later chapters. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1: Apprentice

Eragon sat up in bed. His whole body covered in sweat. He felt his hands shaking as he forced himself to get up and walk towards Saphira. He sat and watched the slow rise and fall of her enormous belly. His waking dreams had been especially vivid tonight. Memories from the time of Galbatorix still raced through his mind like they had just happened. The expressions on the faces of the men in battle, knowing that they were about to be killed. His family was long gone now, for he was 319, and all those who were part of his human life were now dead.

He remembered Roran, his family line still living in New-Carvahall. He thought of Horst and Elain and Gertrude, and all those of Carvahall. The elves and dwarves had assigned their most skilled craftsmen to rebuild the city, but it still wasn't as good as the town he remembered.

He recalled Brom, the man who was his father. Eragon's mind flashed to the old man's tomb in the Hadarac Desert, surrounded by golden lillies.

He smiled as he thought of Orik, and Nasuada, and Oromis, and Glaedr, his teachers and friends that he would never see again.

At last, he thought of Arya. Her long, raven hair. Her soft, smooth skin. And her laugh that made him forget all of the troubles of the world. He wished she could be there, but he knew otherwise. Arya was to be queen of the elves until she either died or gave up the throne and in doing so, her yawë, which he knew she would never relenquish.

As the sun rose over the horizon Saphira arched her neck and stretched,

_"Good morning, little one,"_ Saphira chided.

_"Good morning"_ Eragon said. He was still lost in thought as she brushed against his conciousness. He was glad that he had her.

_"I love you, little one."_

_ "And I you."_

Eragon walked out onto the balcony of his dwelling. To think that he had started building this place 250 years ago was hard for even him to believe. The tree that he had sung his house out of was 260 feet tall, not to mention that it was suspended another league into the air because of how it grew out of the rock face inside Mt. Shur'Tugal. Saphira had picked this tree because of its height. She had stated that as the mother of her race, she would look down to no-one. And it was so.

Things just seemed to change as soon as they arrived at Mt. Shur'Tugal. The sun glowed brighter, the grass grew greener, and the mountain seemed to hum with new reverance at their arrival. The mountain itself was as large as the Beors and contained a hollow chamber on the inside. It reminded Eragon of Farthen Dur. The rock that lined it was smooth and black like polished glass. There were trees that jutted out of the rock all around the chamber and a dense forest lay at the bottom. The Eldunari had identified it as an object known as a volcano that is long since dead. They told Eragon that when it was alive, it produced more fire than any dragon in existence and created the rock they were surrounded by known as obsidian.

The valley below was filled with dragons of every size and hue. A portion of the forest had been replaced with a patch of charcoal that served as a dragon's quarters, though every dwelling was equipped with a place for the rider's dragon.

The vertical walls of the chamber were dotted with caves that Dwarven riders had chiseled during their training. The walls were adorned with jewels and precious minerals. Larger caves had formed near the bottom, put there by Urgal riders. These caves had more murals lining the walls than anything else. The Elves stuck to their traditional way of making homes by singing them out of trees that latched themselves to the walls of the volcano. However, they never could get as high as Eragon's tree. The humans could not sing houses out of trees, or chisel perfect caves out of solid rock. So they built houses out of the stone that the dwarves mined and mortar that they mixed themselves.

Eragon was proud of his new home and he was glad that he could share it with so many people. He quite enjoyed the time when winter was approaching, all the leaves on the trees on the inside of the volcano would change colors from traditional green, to red, brown, yellow, and, orange. It was a sight to behold. When winter arrived, each leaf would drop, one by one, onto the cavern floor below. The vortex of spinning leaves seemed to act of its own accord, and danced all throughout the cavern.

Saphira nuzzled him on his shoulder, "_The new students arrived last night, it would be shameful to be tardy to their first lesson mhmm?"_

_ "I suppose you're right"_ Eragon said as he pulled a tunic over his head, _"And I would hope to avoid such a situation."_

As Saphira flew towards the scheduled meeting place of the new riders and their dragons near the lake that covered a decent area of the chasm's floor, he couldn't help but notice that 2 of the dragons waiting by the lake seemed awfully large for new riders. As he dismounted he looked at his 4 new recruits, and that is when he paused. Standing before him were not only an Urgralgran, and a Dwarven rider, but Murtagh grinning ear-to-ear, and Arya.


	2. Chapter 2: Mt Shur'Tugal

Eragon stared, dumbfounded. "We're here for our rider training, " Murtagh said as he patted Thorn, his great red dragon.

Arya glanced at Fiernin, her forest-green dragon that matched her eyes perfectly, "You might remember that Murtagh and I haven't really had any real rider training yet" she shifted onto her right hip and shrugged, "But now we're here to receive it."

"But what about your duties as Queen?" Eragon asked, "Surely the elves didn't take this lightly?"

"I left the council in charge, and if they need anything, all they have to do is ask. They eventually gave up their arguments not only because I am queen, but because if I want to be a true rider, I must be at least introduced to the old ways, not just politics."

"Ah," Eragon said, seeing her point. "And what of you, Murtagh? Why have you come? Have you not already been trained by Galbatorix?"

Murtagh furrowed his brow, "Do you want me here or not, brother?"

"Fair enough," admitted Eragon.

The Dwarven rider spoke up, "S-Sir. Mine name is Marstheil of Durgrimst Vrenshrrgn, it is mine honor to be here" he stroked his bronze dragon, "And this is mine dragon, Trysthindr (tris-THEEN-dur)."

"It is a pleasure to meet you Marstheil and Trysthindr, and you may call us Saphira-Elda, Eragon-Elda, or Ebrithil. That goes the same for all of you as well." He nodded his head towards the group, specifically at Arya. She rolled her eyes an leaned against Fiernin, "I mean it." he said sternly. "Yes Ebrithil..." they all said, except the Urgal who was well withdrawn from the other three riders.

Eargon noticed this and gestured towards the female Urgal next to Arya, "And what is your name?" The Urgal tensed and her indigo dragon cocked its head. "She only seems to speak her native tongue" Arya said. Eragon thought for a moment, and with some help from Saphira, he spoke the native language of Urgralgra with the she-Urgal. Her eyes lit up when she could finally understand him, and spoke quickly enough so that Eragon could only catch a few words. He learned that her name meant Moon-Bear and her dragon was Blue-Muscle-Wing.

Eragon then went on to explain to all of them that today they would meet each other and get a tour. Then tomorrow _they_ would begin building their homes.

To begin the tour, Eragon took them first to the guest house where they would be sleeping for the night. The house was built out of the surrounding rock and was situated next to Lake Draumr. He showed them each a personal room and told them to leave their belongings, for they would not be taken here. Only Murtagh seemed really at-home in his room, for the house was much like that of the human dwellings.

He took them to the library next while Saphira showed the dragons the "hatchling-dragon-place" and the "place-where-there-is-good-rest". Arya was especially awed by the rows of mahogany bookshelves that stretched toward the ceiling. "This is quite the collection you have here. It rivals even that of Elesmera."

Saphira had heard this through Eragon's mental link and butted in, "_He has written several of the volumes himself_."

"_Saphira!"_

_"Little one..."_

"Very impressive," she said with a smile, "I did not know that you were so very interested in writing."

"Well, I must do _something_ to pass the time" Eragon said, "And I find it has a calming effect on me."

"Is that so?"

Marstheil examined a book from one of the shelves, "Ebrithil. These runes are not those of man, or dwarf. What are they?"

"It is the Ancient Language, and you will all learn to speak as well as write it while you are here." Eragon said with a hint of amusement, remembering when he was the pupil. Eragon had been notorious for asking questions, although he never seemed to get the answer he wanted.

"Now then, there are two more locations that you will need to visit. The garden, and the watchtower, but you will have time enough to find them on your own. I would like to invite you all to dine at my house this evening, so go put on a nice pair of clothes, some have been provided for you, and meet me at Adurna Istrali when you cannot see the sun anymore. You will know it when you lay your eyes upon it." He added, and repeated his lecture to the Urgal who nodded at the invitation. "You may do what you like until it is time to dine."

And so they went off to explore Mt. Shur'Tugal.


End file.
